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The University of Western Australia's Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson today announced his retirement from the position at the end of 2011.

Professor Robson said he had confirmed his intention to retire as Vice-Chancellor at the end of his current contract to allow the University ample time to recruit a successor.

"I believe that the end of 2011 is an appropriate time for new leadership for the University," Professor Robson said.

UWA Chancellor, Dr Michael Chaney, said that despite having been encouraged by the University's governing body, Senate, to extend his term, Professor Robson had chosen to retire.

"Alan Robson has led the University with distinction in roles as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor for more than 17 years," Dr Chaney said.

"The University's institutional performance is at an all time high.  By the beginning of 2012, we will have implemented our program of new courses which will position the University to achieve its ambition of becoming one of the world's top 50 universities by 2050.

"Alan's decision to retire at the end of next year provides the University with adequate time to ensure it can attract the highest quality applicants from both Australia and abroad to fill the position," he said

The process of selecting a new Vice-Chancellor would begin immediately and should be completed during the first half of next year.

Professor Robson has led the University for 17 years, as UWA Vice-Chancellor since 2004 and, prior to that, as the University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor for more than 10 years.  He is an internationally-recognised agricultural scientist with particular research interests in the mineral nutrition of plants and soil fertility.  Professor Robson is currently chair of the Australian ‘Group of Eight' research intensive universities and Deputy Chair of Universities Australia, the body representing all universities in Australia.  He is also Chair of the World Wide Universities Network which includes 16 of the world's leading research universities across eight nations.

Media references

Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716